This long-standing generic mineral metabolism protocol has proven to be continually useful in assessing unusual disorders of mineral metabolism. Its' utilization was particularly noteworthy in assessing the factors affecting calcium absorbability, food-calcium interaction, effect of lithotripsy on stone- forming risks, changes in calcium metabolism ensuing from GnRH agonist therapy and pathogenetic background in unusual cases of hypercalcemia, osteoporosis, and miscellaneous bone diseases.